Nightmare
by Kai
Summary: Heero makes a promise to Duo... Shounen-ai! Watch out.


Heero gazed at the cold ceiling, trying his best to detatch himself from the pained whimpers and spasmic shaking in the bed beside his. The ice walls around his heart trembled and threated to melt, as Duo fought his way through the enigmatic nightmare. Heero rolled over, fixing his prussian gaze on his partner, his friend, his....   
Duo shot up in bed, a cold sweat covering his pale skin, his chest heaving as he adjusted himself to his surroundings. His eyes shot to Heero, then they widened in almost horror, as he realized that the Japanese boy had been watching him.   
"Duo," Acknowledged Heero, sitting up, eyes still focused on the braided pilot. "Are you okay?"   
Duo raised a shaky hand to toy with his hair, not meeting Heero's eyes. "I-I'm fine." He put on his trademark cheeky grin. "Just a nightmare, nothing that Shinigami couldn't handle!"   
Heero glared at Duo's cheerful mask. Always in character, he thought, throwing the sheets back, and standing up. "I know about your nightmares, Duo."   
Duo's face fell. "Well, I...uh... I'm okay, Heero. They're just nightmares."   
Heero sat on the edge of Duo's bed, still watching the other boy with concerned intensity. "D'you want to talk about it?"   
Shock and exposure ran rampant throught Duo as he met Heero's eyes. Pure, raw emotion flooded the locked gaze; Duo let a tiny gasp escape his tired lips. He crumbled. No, everything inside him crumbled, his charade, his lies, his secrets. And in the first time in more years than he could recall, hot tears began to fall down his cheeks.   
"Duo," Heero whispered, watching as Duo tried to keep the tears in. And before he knew what he was doing, the Wing pilot pulled him into a rough hug. At first Duo stiffened, but then he relaxed, burrowing his face in the nape of Heero's neck. The warm brine of Duo's tears slid along his neck, though not a sound came from the boy in Heero's arms. "Duo, ssh, it's okay." Heero could feel the tears subside and Duo grab fistfulls of Heero's tee-shirt, not willing to let him go.   
"Heero, can you promise me one thing?" Heero couldn't miss the urgency in Duo's voice, the pleading. "One thing?"   
What is it? Heero wondered, stroking Duo's braid. "Hm?"   
"Don't ever go anywhere. Don't ever leave. Don't leave me alone like everyone else did." Duo let go of his shirt and instead threaded his arms around Heero's waist. "I don't want to be alone."   
Heero's eyes widened and he nodded. "Duo, you're not alone."   
"I know, but, Heero, please, never, ever go anywhere." Duo's grip on Heero tightened.   
"I won't."   
Duo pulled back and met Heero's eyes. "Promise?" Heero drew back slightly at Duo's expression. "Heero, please, just promise me. Please."   
"I promise. I'll never leave you alone."   
Duo buried himself in Heero's arms again. In a barely audible voice, he whispered, "Thank you."   
Heero waited until Duo hand fallen asleep again, then, with unexplained tenderness, he lay Duo back down, covering him loosely with the sheets. He watched him pensively, brushing the chesnut bangs back from Duo's heart-shaped face. Gathering all the courage he could muster, he leaned over the other pilot, and softly brushed his lips against Duo's. "Sweet Dreams, Duo," he whispered, face still close enough to feel feather soft breath against his chin. "And I promise that I'll never leave you alone."   
  
  
Duo was snapped out of his reverie by the crashing sound of Gundamian being torn apart from the inside. "Noo! Heero what are you doing?! You promised! Heero!" Duo wondered deftly who was screaming, until he realized that the hoarse yell was indeed in his own voice. He felt the blood drain from his face, and the emotional pain swirl around his system, creating a fuzzy numbness. "You promised," he whispered, squeezing the control that rested in his palm. "You promised that you wouldn't leave me alone. Heero..." He's gone, he thought. He broke his promise. Duo lifted his eyes to the screen in front of him. Barely, he made out a whimper of pain from Sandrock, and he could see Heavyarms scoop up Heero's prone body. Lowering his gaze again, he vision became clouded, as the elusive, unwelcome tears made an appearance. 


End file.
